The Definition of Freedom of Petition

The Freedom of Petition originates from its history of being one of the fundamental freedoms that is duly constituted for the benefit of all Americans in the United States. 

The Freedom of Petition is duly stipulated and documented in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. 

Legally speaking, the United States of America’s First Amendment is constitutionally composed of five specific freedoms and these are as follows: Petition, Free Press, Religion, Free Speech and Assembly. 

The Constitutional Basis of the Freedom of Petition 

The Freedom of Petition’s section, as legally manifested in the first amendment, which is largely referred as the “Petition Clause”, states the following three premises: 

1. The people of the United States of America have the right to appeal to the American government, either the concerned individuals are duly in favor or against the specific policies that may greatly affect them or in the contrary, may have felt strongly with, personally. 

2. The freedom of petition legally states as an inclusion the right to garner signatures which will be in great support to a certain cause and in the longer run, will serve as a lobby that will pave the way for legislative bodies or may hinder due to being against the legislation, respectively. 

3. In a simpler meaning, the right to petition provides every American citizen concerned; “the very right to present their personal or group requests to the American government, without the fear of being led to punishment or reprisal.” 

This right is absolutely a guarantee as constitutionally stipulated in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

The Origin of “Petition” 

The word “petition” is highly related both to the freedom of petition, as well as with the First Amendment in an in-depth sense, for the reason that the word itself  is described as follows: 

“Any method and approach that is ladened on the dimensional tenet of being non-violent, which legally means encouragement or disapproval of any action performed and initiated by the government, as a direct and immediate response to any of the three branches concerned which are the legislative branch, judicial branch and executive branch.” 

In addition, the petition clause is heavily provided with the following provisions wherein the freedom of petition can be performed, executed and availed by the change maker and purposefully-driven with the following methodologies, approaches and strategies as follows: letter-writing, filing lawsuits, lobbying, supporting the referendum, testifying before tribunals, email campaigns, peaceful protests and picketing, and most importantly, collecting signatures for ballot initiatives. 

Furthermore, the entirety of public articulation should revolve around the presentation of complaints, issues and interests as a specified design that will lead to the direction of spurring any action initiated and performed by the government in terms of being qualified greatly, under the constitutional standards and requirements of the petition clause. 

The Importance of the Freedom of Petition 

The freedom of petition as constitutionally manifested in the first amendment of the United States of America’s Constitution is often not overlooked,  in respective comparison to the other four freedoms that are enlisted in the first amendment, on a legal point of view. 

However, this freedom and right has remained significant, and essential in the United States of America, for the reason that it provides determination and motivation to every individual and citizen in America to steadfastly stand up and firmly speak out against prevalent injustices that are recently occurring. 

In addition, it directly gives the change maker the innate and immense power to impact and influence change that will eradicate and abolish prevailing injustices. 

To continue with, specifically, the right to petition government is a provisional freedom that has remained to be upholded firmly by the Supreme Court of the United States that has been proven time and time again in various occasional scenarios. 

As an effect, the right to petition is a means of proving that it is absolutely an inalienable right under the United States government, so to speak. 

As a means of looking back to the time and era wherein the Civil Rights Movement transpired, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, upholded the rights of numerous groups of concerned individuals with regards to their protest on segregation. 

The main root of this protest originated from the transpiration of rampant segregation in several public institutions specifically with regards to schools and libraries, and in return, the Supreme Court resulted with a ruling that these citizens deserve the right to resort in expression, as mandated in the petition clause, relatively. 

Moreover, the act of petition has greatly contributed to the immediate change in terms of specific practices that are centered on environmental practices, activists and organizations. 

As a reality, it is tremendously impactful if a lot of voices are contributing and supporting a specific cause, compared to only one voice alone. 

Definitely, the right and freedom to petition is a highly prized tool and platform for citizens to make great use of in terms of speaking and voicing out in terms of issues that are of great importance and essence to them, respectively.

Freedom of Petition and the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector 

In relation to the connotation that numerous voices are always better than one, it is definitely understandable in the point of view of citizens concerned that they should greatly consider, adapting an approach and methodology that is effective in utilizing a petition. 

As an effect, this approach and methodology is more feasible in terms of encouraging individuals to unite for a similar cause, and in return, garnering more signatories that will allow the cause to reach the direction of realization. 

As a means of emphasis, the nonprofit community plays a dynamic role in rendering a petition to the national government by direct means and provision of an organized medium that will enjoin citizens together, in order to render support to certain causes and on the contrary, may petition practices that are in violation to their supported cause, respectively. 

On a larger scale and on a later part, if a concerned individual alone has that innate capability of garnering a hundred or more individuals to join him or her in a petition that is in response or against a specific government practice, it will definitely benefit and catapult him or her to a position wherein he or she has a trademark of influencing people. 

Alongside with it,  in terms of bringing an impact to the petition itself, in support of the cause that he or she is advocating for, a clearer and brighter result is definitely on hand if such initiative and effort is exerted by the individual, who is a certified changemaker and influencer as well.

On the basis of building a specific perspective, a change and transformation will be noticed vividly, should the individual participate and become a duly authorized member of a nonprofit organization, wherein its members are in full support of a similar cause. 

In a bigger picture, they can altogether create a magnanimous difference, should the need of petitioning a government practice arise.  

Furthermore, citizens can also provide the needed financial support to their desired organization whom they want to extend their help with, as a way of manifesting their support, and this in return, will contribute to the sustainability of the organization, in terms of funding the organization through donations that will provide protection, defense and support to the cause in totality. 

In conclusion, citizens who are imbibed and strong with regards to specific issues are given freely the option to be maximally involved in a certain nonprofit organization through time, money and donation which serves as his or her major contribution to a specific nonprofit organization, with a ladened basis that it is definitely impactful if the right and freedom to petition is exercised in an optimum level as a whole.